Chain-Linked Insoles

ABSTRACT

A protective insole, designed with a chain-linked layer or similarly virtually impenetrable layer, which is preferably placed within a shoe as an additional sole, meant to augment the original sole of a shoe, thereby preventing nails or other sharp objects from penetrating the entirety of the shoe and causing harm to the individual. The central portion of the insole is designed to be flexible, providing for the easy installation and removal of the insole within the shoe. The chain-links are preferably rubberized to provide comfort to the user, and are sized to fit the shoe they are designed to fit within.

FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a chain-linked shoe insole, designed to provide added safety to a pair of shoes while simultaneously enhancing the flexibility inherent in the shoe when compared to traditional protective shoe insoles.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Modern shoes are the result of thousands of years of innovation and advancement. While shoes have been developed and improved over the years to offer protection to a user's feet, oftentimes injuries to a user's foot may still occur when a user subjects his or her feet to dangerous conditions, or when the user is walking on treacherous terrain. For example, hazardous areas could yield hidden nails or other sharp objects, which are capable of penetrating conventional shoe soles when a user steps on them, causing his or her foot to sustain injury.

Many construction workers have suffered injuries to the feet while on the job site by nails or other sharp objects penetrating the sole of the shoe, and puncturing/wounding the worker's skin. This generally causes the worker to be out of commission, and unable to perform work duties for an extended period of time. Additionally, infections such as tetanus may arise from wounds caused by sharp rusty objects. Needless to say, this is a problematic issue.

Safety boots used on similar job sites usually have a reinforced steel toe and/or heel, or some type of reinforced plastic molding incorporated into the soles of the shoe. However, these insoles are generally not removable, and the plastic may be ineffective in preventing a sharp object from passing through. Additionally, these soles are not flexible, and cannot be incorporated into traditional shoes for everyday use.

Thus, there exists a need for insole composed of a strong, virtually impenetrable metallic material such as steel or titanium that provides industrial strength protection for the user, such that a nail cannot pass through the shoe and injure the user. However, this material must also be flexible insofar as to allow optimal movement of the user's foot in while the user is working or encountering hazardous environmental conditions. In this manner, the shoe may be manufactured in other contexts, such as to be held within a flexible shoe insole that may be folded in half, yet still provide industrial strength protection for the user when placed within a shoe.

Relevant art includes WO Patent 92/14372 issued to Alexander et al. on Sep. 3, 1992 (European Patent 0572393 B1 issued Jul. 21, 1999), which discloses a protective foot capsule. The invention is a boot that is intended for particular use as industrial footwear, mainly to avoid injury due to a chemical spill or a fire. Unlike the present invention, Alexander et al. does not use a metal in the insole that is capable of deflecting a sharp object should the user step on one; furthermore, it is an invention designed for a specific use and is more applicable to firefighters or workers in a chemical plant than construction workers.

Japanese Publication 2002121835, Shigehiko et al. on May 11, 2003, describes work boots that are easy to remove and put on. The cylindrical shape of the upper section of the boot provides protection while an internalized “guide section” allows for easy insertion and removal of the foot. Unlike the present invention, the patent makes no reference to having a reinforced insole to protect the foot against sharp objects.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,056, issued to Lohrmann on Nov. 30, 1999, is an anti-personnel mine protective footpad. It is intended to guard against explosive devices, and is comprised of nearly 30 layers of fabric. Unlike the present invention, its principle aims are not to prevent a nail penetrating the sole, but to protect the foot in case of an explosion.

Prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,583 issued to Aleven on Feb. 15, 1994 (European Patent 0667108A1 issued Aug. 16, 1995), which is a puncture-resistant insole made of a plastic mold, fabric liner and a fabric mesh, and steel plates on the toe and heel. Unlike the present invention, the steel does not cover the entirety of the bottom portion of the shoe, which provides more effective protection to the user.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,255 issued to Ventura on Dec. 7, 1999 is an insole made of synthetic fibers such as Kevlar. The layers of fiber are not bonded together, but rather covered with foam. Unlike the present invention, the insole is not made of a metallic material that provides superior protection.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,803, issued to Charles on Nov. 28, 2000, is an insole made of a polymer-fiber and a rigid steel plate. Unlike the present invention, the rigid steel plate would not allow great flexibility of the foot. It has been shown that a rigid steel plate is not as effective in preventing injury as other materials.

It is expected that none of the relevant and prior art can accomplish the objectives of the present invention, as the present invention provides maximum flexibility as well as complete protection of the foot. Thus, the present invention provides a simple and adequate solution to the existing problem.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention is a chain-linked shoe insole designed to protect a user's foot from harm, specifically harm induced by sharp objects that could potentially penetrate the sole of traditional shoes, while simultaneously providing the user with a flexible shoe sole, capable of yielding the full range of foot motion to a user. The present invention preferably employs a form of linked-metal chainmail, as it is both flexible and strong. This chainmail is composed of conventionally linked circles or ovals of metal chain that are interlocked to one another in a sheet. The sheet is preferably cut to specifications determined by the shoe size and the shoe type worn by the user. The sheet of chainmail, or similarly linked chain sheet, is preferably found at the center of the insole, and is held in place by layers of foam, rubber, or silicone based cushions. It is envisioned that the present invention be an insole that is preferably designed to fit within any existing shoe.

The present invention is sized appropriately, such that various embodiments of the present invention could be adapted and cut-to-fit a wide assortment of shoe varieties, including, but not limited to, high-heeled shoes, work shoes, boots, rain boots, tennis shoes, slippers, etc.

It is the intent of the present invention to create a puncture-resistant insole from fine chainmail, improving on existing insoles by employing a flexible and strong material that is virtually impenetrable by a nail or other sharp object, but it is also comfortable and flexible, allowing movement of the foot. Additionally, the insole is designed to concentrate protection on only the heel and the toe region of the foot, employing only the chainmail alone in the center or arch portion of the foot, and additional layers and cushions on the heel and toe of the foot. While the chainmail remains virtually impenetrable to nails and other sharp objects across the entirety of the foot, only the toe and heel portions are envisioned with supplemental metal inserts and cushions for added protection. The central arch portion of the insole is envisioned to preferably be composed of only chainmail and perhaps a thin layer of cushion or rubber coating for user comfort.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 displays the present invention as depicted from the side, outside of its ideal placement within a shoe.

FIG. 2 shows the preferred placement of the layering of the present invention within a shoe, as viewed from the side.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention maintains a chain-linked sheet, referred to as chainmail (70) embedded within a supplemental shoe insole, which preferably runs for the entire length and width of a shoe. The present invention is equipped with two, preferably distinct portions: a heel (20) and a toe (10), linked only with the sheet of chainmail (70). This is different from traditional shoe insoles, in that the material composing the heel (20) and toe (10) are different from that of the center (80) of the insole. As one can see in FIG. 1, the present invention is arranged such that only the chainmail (70) composes the center (80) or arch portion of the shoe insole. However, the construction of the heel (20) and the toe (10) of the insole are largely similar.

Both the toe (10) and the heel (20) contain a cushion layer (30) preferably composed of a foam, silicone, or a rubber composite, which is designed to absorb the shock or walking, as well as to provide comfort to the user. A toe metal insert (50) and a heel metal insert (40) are placed in the insole, helping to prevent injury to the user. As seen in FIG. 2, the toe metal insert (50) found within the toe (10) differs from the heel metal insert (40) in that it is equipped with a joint (60), which provides the user's foot with a greater range of motion and flexibility while walking than an non jointed piece of metal would provide. The metal found within the toe metal insert (50) and the heel metal insert (40) is preferably steel, titanium, or other strong alloy.

Atop the toe metal insert (50) and the heel metal insert (40) rests an additional layer of cushion material, followed by a single sheet of chainmail (70) or similarly chain-linked sheet. The chainmail (70) preferably extends from the beginning of the toe (10) to the end of the heel (20), and serves to protect a user's foot from sharp objects. Additional cushion layers (30) are placed above the chainmail (70), securing the chainmail (70) in place while adding layers of comfort to the user. The cushion layers (30) only encompass the toe (10) and the heel (20) of the foot. The present invention is easily removed from a shoe due to its flexible nature as provided employing only a chainmail (70) layer to connect the toe (10) to the heel (20). It is envisioned that the present invention could be easily folded in half for storage or transport, as the chainmail (70) is designed to be highly flexible, and as FIG. 1 denotes, is all that preferably composes the center (80) portion of the present invention, found to exist between the toe (10) and the heel (20).

It is the intent of the present invention to provide the user with supreme foot protection from sharp objects while simultaneously providing more flexibility and movement than traditionally found within conventional protective shoe insoles.

It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the use of chainmail (70) as a protective medium, but that any metallic chain-linking sheet material may be employed, regardless of the manner by which the chains are linked together. It is envisioned that the metal chain links of the chainmail (70) of the present invention may be coated in a silicone or rubber material to add comfort to the user of the present invention while retaining strength.

It is to be understood that the insole is meant to have cushion layers (30) only in two primary sections as seen in FIG. 1: the toe (10) and the heel (20), which are joined by a single sheet of chainmail (70) or similarly linked metal chain material, thus maximizing the flexibility at the center (80) of the present invention.

It is to be understood that the chain-linked sheet (chainmail (70)), the toe (10), and the heel (20) are all joined together as described via conventional means.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments as described above. It should be understood that there may be variations in the present invention that are not limited to the detailed description of the embodiment, but still capture the essence of the invention as dictated in the following claims. 

I claim:
 1. A protective shoe insole, comprising: a chain-linked sheet; a toe region, having a top and bottom, in communication with said chain-linked sheet; a heel region, having a top and bottom, in communication with said chain-linked sheet; a center region, having a top and bottom, in communication with said chain-linked sheet; a first metal plate covering said bottom of said toe region; a second metal plate covering said bottom of said heel region; a first cushioned pad encompassing said toe region; and a second cushioned pad encompassing said heel region.
 2. The protective shoe insole of claim 1, wherein said first cushioned pad has a shock-absorbent foam.
 3. The protective shoe insole of claim 1, wherein said second cushioned pad has a shock-absorbent foam.
 4. The protective shoe insole of claim 2, wherein said second cushioned pad has a shock-absorbent foam.
 5. The protective shoe insole of claim 1, wherein said first cushioned pad has silicone.
 6. The protective shoe insole of claim 1, wherein said second cushioned pad has a silicone.
 7. The protective shoe insole of claim 2, wherein said second cushioned pad is has a silicone.
 8. The protective shoe insole of claim 1, wherein said chain-linked sheet follows the shape of a shoe sole.
 9. The protective shoe insole of claim 4, wherein said chain-linked sheet joins said toe region, said heel region, and said center region.
 10. The protective shoe insole of claim 2, further comprising: a joint across said first metal plate, said joint is disposed across said bottom of said toe region.
 11. A protective shoe insole, comprising: a toe region; a heel region; and a chain linked sheet, in communication with said toe region and said heel region.
 12. The protective shoe insole of claim 11, further comprising: A first metal plate in communication with said toe region.
 13. The protective shoe insole of claim 11, further comprising: A second metal plate in communication with said heel region.
 14. The protective shoe insole of claim 12, further comprising: A second metal plate in communication with said heel region. 